Even one of the few seemingly healthy Panthers players needed surgery after an injury-marred season, as rookie forward Jonathan Huberdeau underwent successful hip surgery Tuesday in Nashville.

Huberdeau, one of four Panthers to play in all 48 games, along with forwards Tomas Fleischmann and Shawn Matthias as well as defenseman Brian Campbell, is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September.

Huberdeau notched three assists in a season-finale victory over the Lightning, so there was no indication that he was playing with a damaged hip.

The Panthers led the league in man-games lost to injuries and utilized 38 players on their roster, including goalie coach Robb Tallas, who suited up in warmups when a flurry of injuries struck the goaltenders.

Huberdeau, 19, was recently selected by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association as one of three finalists for the Calder Trophy, an award given to the NHL's most proficient rookie. His competition is Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher and Chicago Blackhawks left wing Brandon Saad. The winner will be announced after the playoffs.

"They said I had a pretty good season,'' Huberdeau said when leaving his exit meetings with coach Kevin Dineen and General Manager Dale Tallon last month. "We had a lot of injuries, the young players needed to step up and that's what we tried to do. I have to go home and get stronger so I come back next year and be ready.

"When you're in the corner with [Bruins 6-foot-9 defenseman Zdeno Chara] you got to be ready for something.''